http://www.askiris.org.uk/news-events/news/ en Tim.Simpson@family-action.org.uk Copyright 2012 2012-05-16T11:27:18+00:00 http://www.askiris.org.uk/news-events/news/significant-reforms-to-special-education-needs-system/ http://www.askiris.org.uk/news-events/news/significant-reforms-to-special-education-needs-system/#When:10:27:18Z Government has released its formal response to the public consultation on the Statement of Educational Needs Green Paper.  Parents are to be given the legal right to personal budgets to pay for their child’s care, under the biggest reform proposals of the special educational needs (SEN) system in last 30 years. Plans have been confirmed to introduce legislation that will require education, health and social care services to jointly plan provision for children with additional needs.  This will be achieved through a new single assessment process and care plan for all children with disabilities from birth to age 25, introduced from 2014. Meanwhile all councils will be required to publish a local offer detailing support available to disabled children and those with SEN, while children are to receive a new legal right to be prioritised for places at state academies and free schools. Children’s minister Sarah Teather said the current SEN system is “outdated and not fit for purpose”. “Thousands of families have had to battle for months, even years, with different agencies to get the specialist care their children need,” she said. “It is unacceptable they are forced to go from pillar to post – facing agonising delays and bureaucracy to get support, therapy and equipment. “These reforms will put parents in charge. We trust parents to do the right thing for their own child because they know what is best. “The right to a personal budget will give them real choice and control of care, instead of councils and health services dictating how they get support.” 2,400 formal responses were received in for the SEN Green Paper consultation. A number of the SEN reforms are already being piloted in 20 local pathfinder areas. Nottinghamshire County Council are one of SEND Pathfinder pilots and currently IRIS is working closely with the pilot to bring you the latest news and developments in the June issue of the IRIS Magazine.   2012-05-16T10:27:18+00:00 http://www.askiris.org.uk/news-events/news/free-course-in-sheffield-next-weekend-inspirational-education/ http://www.askiris.org.uk/news-events/news/free-course-in-sheffield-next-weekend-inspirational-education/#When:09:12:19Z Parents are invited to attend a conference on inspirational education next Saturday at Brantwood school in Sheffield. The event features talks by Dr Nick Hodge (Sheffield Hallam University) and Alison Harris (Paediatric Occupational Therapist) and explores perspectives in education for parents and professionals alongside needs and practical approaches to teach the whole child. There will also be a selection of workshops covering subjects from Art Therapy to Music... and even extreme knitting! For more information see our event listing 2012-05-11T09:12:19+00:00 http://www.askiris.org.uk/news-events/news/could-your-child-bee-a-spelling-superstar/ http://www.askiris.org.uk/news-events/news/could-your-child-bee-a-spelling-superstar/#When:13:38:53Z A global spelling competition will take place online later this month, run by the learning disability charity Mencap.   For the first time the charity's inclusive "Spellathon" championships will take place online, between Monday 21 and Sunday 27 May 2012. However, in the meantime your children can warm up well in advance! Visitors who log onto the website at www.spellathon.net/whiteboard are greeted by 'The Professor', a 3D bee voiced by Stephen Fry, who guides users through a series of interactive spelling games which improve literacy. When the competition rolls round participants will be able to test themselves against the rest of the world by trying to record the longest run of correctly spelt words in 15 minutes, with the scores recorded on a global leaderboard. Get buzzing! 2012-05-08T13:38:53+00:00 http://www.askiris.org.uk/news-events/news/campaign-calls-for-personal-independence-payments-to-establish-independent-/ http://www.askiris.org.uk/news-events/news/campaign-calls-for-personal-independence-payments-to-establish-independent-/#When:12:13:04Z Following the decision in January to replace Disability Living Allowance with Personal Independence Payments the Every Disabled Child Matters (EDCM) campaign has called  upon the Government to make sure that Personal Independence Payments (PIP) help disabled 16 - 25 year olds to establish independent lives. Following a consultation with 20 organisations with an interest in the issues affecting young people with a disability EDCM has asked government to make sure that the payments cover the costs incurred by young people with a disability to establish independent lives. Specifically they have asked the government to change the assessment process to include: An additional activity for disabled young people to be used in PIP assessments to establish whether they need additional support, or, A different points system to be used in the assessment of 16 - 25 year olds to take account of the additional needs they have as they move to establishing independent living. EDCM also told Government that PIP assessments should be designed differently for disabled young people, to make the process more appropriate for them: Specialist assessors should carry out face-to-face assessments of disabled young people to ensure that they are trained in the specific needs of this age group Disabled young people should be able to access independent advocates to attend assessments with them Disabled young people appealing PIP decisions should be able to continue to receive DLA until an outcome on the appeal is made. PIP will replace DLA from 2013 for working age adults as the extra costs benefit for disabled people. See the full consultation response   2012-05-04T12:13:04+00:00 http://www.askiris.org.uk/news-events/news/help-with-research-into-how-professionals-can-support-the-parents-of-childr/ http://www.askiris.org.uk/news-events/news/help-with-research-into-how-professionals-can-support-the-parents-of-childr/#When:13:09:16Z A psychologist in an NHS CAMHS Leaning Disability support is conducting research to better understand the process of caring for a child with profound and multiple disabilities and how psychologists and other professionals may be able to support.   The survey will run until the end of July 2012 and can be completed online at https://www.survey.ed.ac.uk/parentcarerwellbeing   Altarnatively, parents can contact parentwellbeingresearch@gmail.com for more information on the study   2012-05-02T13:09:16+00:00 http://www.askiris.org.uk/news-events/news/speech-sign-and-song-workshop-make-time-for-maketon/ http://www.askiris.org.uk/news-events/news/speech-sign-and-song-workshop-make-time-for-maketon/#When:10:02:37Z Parents are being offered a great opportunity to learn about Makaton signs and symbols in an informative, informal setting. The Speech, Sign and Song Club are hosting the sessions on Saturday 19th May at The Nottingham Language Academy on The Ropewalk in Nottingham city centre. Speech and Language Therapist Kelly Churnside will give an introduction to Makaton signs and symbols and why we use them as well teach signs such as as instructions, actions, everyday objects, food, toys, animals, colours, numbers, question words... and your requests! To book a place, please contact Wendy Prevezer on 0115 9221318 or via email on  wendyprev@ntlworld.com   2012-05-01T10:02:37+00:00 http://www.askiris.org.uk/news-events/news/titan-asks-big-questions-regarding-travel-training-in-newark/ http://www.askiris.org.uk/news-events/news/titan-asks-big-questions-regarding-travel-training-in-newark/#When:08:19:22Z Nottinghamshire County Council is currently holding a consultation on public transport in Newark, Ollerton and Southwell. The Towards Integrated Transport Across Nottinghamshire (TITAN) project  survey asks a wide range of questions, including which services to prioritise and the importance of physically getting on and vehicles and buses. However what may be most interesting to IRIS readers is the suggestion that travelers with learning or mobility difficulties may receive training and support to travel independently. If this is an issue you feel passionately about and want to make your views heard then you can visit the consultation site here. 2012-04-27T08:19:22+00:00 http://www.askiris.org.uk/news-events/news/what-barriers-do-parents-carers-of-disabled-children-face-when-returning-to/ http://www.askiris.org.uk/news-events/news/what-barriers-do-parents-carers-of-disabled-children-face-when-returning-to/#When:13:25:21Z The charity Working Families has launched a survey to find out more about the barriers facing the parents and carers of disabled children who want to work. They say they need the information so they can better support and campaign for change at a national level If you want to have your say you can complete the survey online or hard copies can be obtained by speaking to Janet Mearns on 0207 0170072 or janet.mearns@workingfamilies.org.uk 2012-04-23T13:25:21+00:00 http://www.askiris.org.uk/news-events/news/watch-the-cp-sport-national-swimming-championships-this-sunday/ http://www.askiris.org.uk/news-events/news/watch-the-cp-sport-national-swimming-championships-this-sunday/#When:12:00:24Z Those parents and carers who were excited to read  about Nottinghamshire-born swimmer Oliver Hynd making the paralympic squad on our website earlier this week may want to attend the CP Sport National Swimming Championships this Sunday. The event takes place at the Nottingham University Pool  in University Park from 11am until 5pm and brings together swimmers from across the UK - although IRIS readers will most likely be cheering for local swimmers James Birchnall, Campbell Plant and Ben Rees. See you at poolside! 2012-04-20T12:00:24+00:00 http://www.askiris.org.uk/news-events/news/have-a-big-free-day-out-on-the-bbc-this-sunday/ http://www.askiris.org.uk/news-events/news/have-a-big-free-day-out-on-the-bbc-this-sunday/#When:14:40:01Z Museums across the county and city are getting ready to open their doors for free this Sunday for BBC Radio Nottingham's Big Day Out. Places taking part include the DH Lawrence Birthplace, Nottingham Castle, Newark Air Museum, City Of Caves and Calverton's Iron Age Roundhouse. Some venues require parents to print off vouchers, however, so if you're thinking about taking part in the Big Day Out then take a look at the BBC's site here so you can see what each museum requires.   2012-04-18T14:40:01+00:00